As the 2024 Paris Olympics wrapped up this past Sunday with a closing ceremony, the final medal count has shed light on which NCAA conferences took home the most hardware. Not surprisingly, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) emerged as the top performer, accumulating a total of 89 medals, including a remarkable 36 golds.
Hot on the heels of the ACC, the SEC secured 80 medals overall, with 33 golds, making for a tight race among the conferences. Following closely was the Big Ten, which claimed 78 medals, rounding out the trio that dominated the medal standings. Overall, these three conferences accounted for an impressive 247 medals and 92 gold medals combined.
The addition of schools like Stanford greatly boosted the ACC’s medal tally, as they contributed a school-record 39 medalists. Notably, former Stanford swimmer Katie Ledecky added four medals to her collection, including two golds. Former Duke star Jayson Tatum also contributed by winning gold with Team USA’s basketball team.
On the SEC side, former Florida swimmer Caeleb Dressel and fellow conference athletes had standout performances, contributing to the SEC’s strong showing. Track and field was particularly fruitful for this conference, with athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson earning gold in the women’s 4×100 relay.
The Big Ten showcased its depth with all 18 schools represented at the Games, including former Oregon runner Cole Hocker, who won gold in the men’s 1,500-meter. The conference also saw four players from the gold medal-winning Team USA women’s basketball team.
Meanwhile, the Big 12 faced challenges, missing key schools like Oklahoma and Texas but still finished with a respectable 11 gold medalists, including former Kansas center Joel Embiid. In comparison, the Ivy League shone brightly, led by former Harvard athlete Gabby Thomas, who picked up three gold medals, helping her conference finish with a total of 15 medals.
As we look forward, it’s exciting to see how these NCAA athletes continue to showcase their talents on the world stage, solidifying their place in sports history.
